Kingdom Divided Lesson 24 – Nahum and Zephaniah

  

Note:  For clarity the Kings of Israel are coded in Orange and Kings of Judah are coded in Blue.

Nahum 1 – Prophesy Against Nineveh

Nahum was a prophet to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  Nahum is a book of prophecy against Nineveh, the capital of Assyria.  He described the cruelty of the Assyrians as they conquered nations.  He predicted the destruction of Nineveh and the end of the kingdom of Assyria.  He told Judah to continue to observe their religious feasts because the Assyrians will be out of the picture.

Nahum described God’s character and actions against Nineveh.  He said the Lord is a jealous and avenging God.  He takes vengeance and is filled with wrath against His enemies.  The Lord is slow to anger, great in power, and will not leave the guilty unpunished.  His way is in the winds and storms, and clouds are the dust of his feet.  He is in total control of everything. (Nahum 1:1-6)

Nahum contrasted God’s firmness in judgment and the care He gives for His own.  Believers can find comfort and peace as God balances the promise to judge evil and the good news of salvation.  The “Lord is good and a refuge in times of trouble.” – Nahum 1:7.  He cares for those who trust in Him.  When we were enemies, we were reconciled through the death of His Son and through the life He gives. (Nahum 1:6-8; Romans 5:10-15)

Jonah’s message to Nineveh was different from Nahum’s.  Jonah told the people to repent, which they did for a time.  But years later they returned to cruelty and their evil ways.  Nahum prophesied of their coming judgment. 

I hope you all understand we are living in days of mercy.  Christ will return one day.  When He does, It will be to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5).  We are living in ‘Jonah’ days – days when God longs for you to repent, days God has appointed you for something very important to do.  Don’t run away from it.  Fulfill your duty to God.  Seek out His will for you in His word.  These Jonah days won’t go on forever.  If you haven’t turned to Him by the time the Lord returns, you will not find yourself with God’s mercy.  You will find yourself in His judgment.

Nahum’s message was important to Judah.  They suffered under the oppression of the Assyrian empire but his message provided hope and encouragement.  Nahum reminds us that God is actively working even in the darkest times to bring justice and hope throughout the world.

As we read Nahum 1:3, we can find comfort in God’s character because we know He cares about what is right and wrong.  So that no matter what evil is around us and throughout the world, God’s judgment will make everything right again.

Principle:  God loves all people, but does not tolerate evil.

Nahum 2-3 – Nineveh’s Fall

Nahum described Nineveh’s fall:

The enemy’s appearance – shields of soldiers are red; warriors are in scarlet; metal on chariots flashes on the day and are made ready; spears of pine are brandished; chariots storm through the streets looking like flaming torches.

Siege and looting of the city – Nineveh is like a pool, plunder of silver and gold; supply is endless, the wealth from all its treasures; she is pillaged, plundered, stripped; heats melt, knees give way, bodies tremble, faces pale.

Flooding of the city – River gates thrown open and palace collapses.

Sins of Nineveh is judged –God will burn up your chariots in smoke, the sword will devore your young; He will leave you no prey on the earth; voices of messengers will no longer be heard; city is full of lies; full of lush; mistress of sorceries; enslaves nations; witchcraft.

The book of Nahum illustrates God’s Word is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.  Everything will be accomplished just as God plans. (Palm 119:89; Matthew 5:18)  This gives us confidence and hope.

Nahum 1:7 is particularly meaningful and gives confidence and hope – “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble.  He cares for those who trust in him.”

Principle:  God’s Word is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.

Zephaniah 1-2 – Judgment on Judah and Nations

God raised up his prophet, Zephaniah to proclaim a warning of coming judgment on Judah and on the whole earth and to encourage repentance.  The purpose of this book is God is sovereign over all nations; the wicked will be punished and the righteous will be vindicated on the day of judgment; God blesses those who repent and trust in Him.

The book of Zephaniah was written during the reign of King Josiah.  During his reign the Book of the Law was found and Josiah humbled himself before God and brought restoration and reformation to Judah.  He purged the high places where idols were worshipped and restored the temple of the Lord.

Zephaniah gives specifics about God’s judgment:

God will sweep away everything from the face of the earth; He will sweep away both men and animal, birds of the air and fish of the sea. (Zephaniah 1:2-3).

God will stretch out His hand against Judah and all in Jerusalem; He will cut off every remnant of Baal and the idolatrous priests. (Zephaniah 1:4-5).

God will search Jerusalem and punish those who are complacent; their wealth will be plundered, houses demolished; the day of the Lord is near and will be bitter; it will be a day of wrath, distress, anguish, trouble, ruin, darkness, gloom, clouds and blackness, and a day of trumpet and battle cry against cities and towers. (Zephaniah 1:12-16).

He listed other nations who awaited God’s judgment – Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, and Assyria. (Zephaniah 2:4-15)  We learn that no nation will be spared.  Everyone will be accountable for their actions.

Zephaniah 3 – Future Restoration of Jerusalem

The specific sins of Jerusalem are listed in Zephaniah 3:1-8.  It was a city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled.  She obeyed no one; she accepted no correction; she didn’t trust the Lord; she didn’t draw near to her God; her officials were roaring lions; her rulers were wolves; her prophets were arrogant and treacherous men; her priests profaned the sanctuary and did violence to the law.

People today respond to the thought of God’s judgment in different ways.  Some think ‘I’m a good person so I will go the heaven’, some say ‘how can a loving God send judgment’, some say ‘God doesn’t bring judgment anymore since Jesus died on the cross’, or others say ‘God would have spared Sodom and Gomorrah if there were only ten righteous and there are too many Christian in the world for Him to bring judgment on us’.  It all boils down to we want to be in charge and try to explain God through human minds.  Remember God’s thoughts are higher than ours.

We should respond to God by drawing near to Him.  He wants to be close and personal (Hebrews 10:22).  He wants us to hold fast in the hope that He promised (Hebrews 10:23).  We are to spur one another on to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).

God is holy, just and perfect.  He gave us the freedom to choose how we respond to Him.  He doesn’t force us to obey.  We have free will.  God has made Himself and His truth known to everyone.  Romans 1:20 says “we are without excuse”.  His wrath is His righteous judgment against those who do evil.  So because God is just and righteous, He will judge according to His righteous standards.

Zephaniah offered hope to Judah in Zephaniah 3:9-20.  He said false doctrine will be thoroughly exposed.  Nothing will escape the Lord’s cleansing work.  God will leave a remnant of people who love and acknowledge the Lord.  The people who have been faithful and humble will be forgiven for their sins committed against the Lord.  In place of hopelessness there will be confidence and assurance.  People will no longer be held captive by evil.  “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.” – Zephaniah 3:17.

Zephaniah’s final verses offered encouragement from God.  For those people who were scattered, He will reunite them and bring them home.  The message for us today is we live in an evil world, but one day He will bring us home – our heavenly home.

Principle:  The same God who judges sin with vengeance will restore His children when they repent.

We have familiar lessons about the Lord’s judgment on sin and rebellion.  We may think the Old Testament seems very sever when it comes to sin.  We are fortunate as Christians that we are able to approach the throne under an entirely different relationship with the Lord.  A relationship has been made possible only through the sacrifice of Jesus, who is now our advocate before God.  Some things haven’t changed.  There is still a pattern today when we rebel; there is repentance and restoration.

This week’s attribute of God is He is Love.  His love never fails.  He showed His love by sending His Son to be our Savior.  He calls us to repent from sin and to trust in Him.

Next time we will continue our study of Kingdom Divided with the book of Jeremiah. Hope to see you here. – I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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